Anti-Maoist event postponed due to Naxal threat
Salwa Judum offshoot Vikas Sangharsh Samiti will have to wait to
unveil its first mega event so as not to put villagers at risk. The
first mega event of Vikas Sangharsh Samiti, an anti-Maoist group formed
by the leaders of erstwhile anti-Maoist militia Salwa Judum, has been
postponed due to the “Naxal threat” and “indifference” from the Congress
party. “We have received inputs that the Maoists are threatening people
against participating in our anti-Maoist movement. We can’t afford to
put the villagers at risk so we have decided to postpone the first mega
event that was slated to take place in Faraspal village of Dantewada on
the second death anniversary of my father,” Salwa Judum founder Mahendra
Karma’s son and VSS convener Chhavindra Karma told The Hindu. However,
preparations are being made for a big event at Faraspal on May 25 and
all the Judum leaders from different parts of Bastar will be present
during the event, said a Judum leader. “People will gather in Faraspal
on May 25 in remembrance of my father on his death anniversary. He was a
popular leader in Bastar with a large mass following. But the event has
got nothing to do with our Samiti,” said Mr.Karma.
Sources in Chhattisgarh Congress said Chhavindra Karma was called to
Raipur two days ago by senior State Congress leaders, who expressed
their “apprehensions” over his initiative. State Congress president
Bhupesh Baghel, senior leader T.S.Singh Deo and Ajit Jogi have already
announced that the Congress party would not support Mr. Karma’s
initiative. The announcement of the formation of VSS, which is being
perceived as the second edition of Salwa Judum earlier this month, met
with criticism from rights groups, political parties and activists. The
Maoists also threatened “violent backlash” and appealed to the people of
Bastar to oppose Chhavindra Karma’s initiative.
No comments:
Post a Comment